Innovations Manager, Gcbm, Sacea

Mondelez International; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in the consumer goods industry is seeking a Brand Innovation Manager to drive innovation strategies aligned with brand vision. You will manage projects from ideation to execution while collaborating with marketing teams to ensure successful product launches. This role demands a strong background in marketing, analytical and creative skills, and the ability to work cross-functionally to meet business objectives.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of experience in marketing, brand, or project management roles.
• Proven track record in innovation projects, especially product and packaging innovation.
• Self-motivated team player with strong leadership skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead development of Brand Innovation Strategies and 3-year Innovation funnel.
• Manage innovation projects from ideation to execution.
• Deliver financial and marketing targets for innovations.

Skills

Analytical skills

Creative skills

Strong communication skills

Education

Tertiary qualification in Marketing or related field

Job description

Are You Ready to Make It Happen at Mondelez International? Join our Mission to Lead the Future of Snacking.

Make It With Pride. You will create and implement the innovation/renovation strategy aligned with the brand vision to drive sustainable growth.

How you will contribute

You will collaborate with Mondelez International teams to determine innovation strategies and priorities that enable consumer-centric brand growth and execute commercial innovation plans based on set goals.

In partnership with brand teams, you will define and deliver plans to renovate the core brand and strengthen the entire portfolio through innovation and renovation, including managing the portfolio (brand architecture).

This role is accountable for revenue and profit, sharing objectives related to innovation, and monitoring performance against key performance indicators.

Leveraging deep consumer insights, brand strategy, and positioning, you will integrate innovation into marketing communication plans and campaigns.

What you will bring

• A desire to drive your future and accelerate your career with experience in marketing, ideally within a matrix environment in the consumer goods industry.
• Experience developing and marketing product innovations across countries.
• Ability to work effectively with other marketing disciplines and cross-functional teams.
• Experience working with design, innovation, and research agencies.
• Analytical and creative skills, balancing commercial and strategic thinking.
• Strong communication skills, both verbal and written, with the ability to present to executives.

Additional role details

You will partner with category brand teams to develop innovation strategies based on consumer insights, brand strategy, and positioning, to foster consumer-centric growth.

Responsible for executing commercial innovation plans from idea to launch, ensuring integration into marketing campaigns, and monitoring project performance against KPIs.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead development of Brand Innovation Strategies and 3-year Innovation funnel.
• Manage innovation projects, including Value Enhancement and New Product Development, from ideation to execution.
• Ensure projects are launched on time, managing critical paths and resolving conflicts.
• Analyze data to identify opportunities and propose portfolio improvements.
• Identify key market trends and manage stakeholder relationships to ensure project buy-in.
• Deliver financial and marketing targets for innovations and conduct post-launch evaluations.

Qualifications

• Tertiary qualification in Marketing or related field.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in marketing, brand, or project management roles.
• Proven track record in innovation projects, especially product and packaging innovation.
• Self-motivated team player with strong leadership skills.

Mondelez Africa's Business Unit includes Southern, West, and Rest of Africa, managing legacy and local brands such as Cadbury Dairy Milk, Oreo, and others. The company is committed to diversity and equal opportunity employment.